Some may think that tea originated in Britain due to the stereotype of the British being avid tea drinkers... but would it shock you to learn that it originated in China? In fact, the story goes that: a servant boiling drinking water had a gust of wind suddenly blow leaves from a tree into it. A herbalist named Shen Nung then decided to try the infusion, resulting in what we know now as tea. But nobody knows if the story is true.

Then, tea slowly spread around the world with Japanese Buddhist monks introducing it to Japan during the late 8th century. Eventually, this became an integral part of Japanese culture being used primarily for religious reasons as well as to bring harmony and inner peace to their guests.

Europeans were late to hear about this concoction, the only mention of it arising in the late sixteenth century due to the Portuguese, who were living in the East during the time. After that, the Dutch got word about it because of peddlers discovering tea in China and bringing it back to the Netherlands. This led to tea becoming classed as a luxury which only those in high society could afford.

Now, you may be wondering, when did the British begin to hear about tea and start using it? Well, you will never guess that it was the marriage of Charles the Second to Catherine of Braganza which began the trend. In fact, Catherine was a tea addict and a Portuguese princess who brought about the movement of tea as she made the drink seem extravagant and fashionable.

Today, tea is flourishing. The invention of the tea bag increased the practicality of the drink, an expanding assortment of appetising tea flavours creating a modern twist and delightful experience, an appliance dedicated to brewing a fragrant cup of the beverage as well as this refreshment being a popular gift that many intend to sell. One example being an up-and-coming business named ‘giftea.’